The Summer Isles
The Summer Isles are a large group of islands located to the south of Essos and Westeros, and serve as the defining point where the Sunset Sea merges with the Summer Sea. Having lived largely in isolation, the people of isles are peaceful, placing focus upon love and safety over all other needs. Islands There are fifteen major islands to the Summer Isle archipelago, as well as countless minor isles, most of which are unmapped outside of the isles themselves. * Stone Head * Walano * Koj * Isle of Women * Isle of Birds * Omboru * The Singing Stones * The Three Exiles * Isle of Love * Moluu * Jhala * Lizard Head * Xon * The Bones * Doquu Flora and Fauna of the Summer Isles The Summer Isles are famed for a number of reasons, and at the forefront of these is the abundance of both plant and animal life. The waters teems with fish, the forest canopies are rich with birds and monkeys, and through the undergrowth a wide range of animals crawl, hop and slither. A more detailed list of the common and notable species can be found here. Timeline of Events * 339AC - Ironborn Raiders continue to arrive at in the Summer Isles, commanded to reave the paradise to pay the debt owed to the Iron Bank by the King of Winter. Walano, the Isle of Birds, the Singing Stones and Koj are the worst hit, but all the isles feel the wounds left by the Ironborn. During a raid on his home isle of Moluu, the future Prince of Mango Grove, Bhalar Dol is born - his life would shape the Summer Isles for the next half a century. * 340AC - Steffarion Sparr, who had declared himself King of Lotus Port, is finally expelled from the Summer Isles by the combined efforts of the Zhaqu, Raaso and Zoq families. The Ironborn scourge of the isles comes to an official end. * 351AC - Bhalar Dol becomes Prince of Mango Grove after the death of his father. Despite his young age, he is an accomplished sailor, and travels the isles to hear the stories of those that lived through the reavings over a decade prior. Such actions garner him a number of supporters across the Summer Isles. * 353AC - Slavers from the Basilisk Isles land upon the Golden Head of Jhala while Prince Bhalar is visiting the Zadon family. The boy Prince rallies a number of warriors to the defence of the isles, saving nine of every ten Summer Islanders captured before the corsairs can escape. His valiant actions only serve to further galvanise people to his words and beliefs. * 357AC - Having travelled around the isles for a number of years, Prince Bhalar Dol makes a bold proclamation that would divide the isles at their very core. They should strengthen themselves and unite under a single banner so that they no longer stand divided against threats like the reavers from the north, east and west. Attending the Palaces at the Isle of Love, Bhalar pledges himself before Sallar and Shanta, and serves there for three years to show that he has forgotten the central tenants of his home. When he finally leaves, he does so with grand plans of expansion and vitalisation for the Summer Isles. * 359AC - Prince Bhalar Dol leaves the Palace of Love, and once again travels the isles to gather support and pledges of unity. Within a year, his banner flies upon every shore of the Summer Isles, and by the end of the decade, it would do so further afield still as outposts and patrols are set up across the numerous and small isles that are displayed only on the charts of the legendary Mapmaker and Windrider Malthar Xaq. * 361AC - Following a series of meetings carried out of the shore of the isle of Naath, the residents of the isle agree to join with Tolas Dol's grand plans. Although they would offer no military support, the Naathi agree to serve as a watcher upon the waves to guard against those that might sail from the westerly winds. Prince Bhalar provides the Naathi with a small fleet of Swan Ships so that they may outrun any corsair that might give them pursuit should they try and warn the Isles. * 364AC - The first real test of Bhalar Dol's unified isles comes in the form of the Corsair King known only as The Canid. Bringing a vast fleet of over sixty warships, the Naathi manage to give the Summer Isles a few days preparation, but even then it proves of limited use. Bhalar Dol is among those that make the first stand, and is slain. His sacrifice buys the time for the main fleet of the Isles, commanded by Tolas Xaq to arrive at Lizard Head and send the Dogs of Basilisk Point into retreat. The Summer Isles is protected, although has suffered casualties to ensure it. Bhalar's wife Rozanta, styling herself as Princess of the Summer Isles uses the Battle of the Summer Sea and Bhalar's sacrifice to further her husband's beliefs - if they had not been united, the casualties would have been much worse. * 365AC - Summer Islander explorers arrive upon the uninhabited isle west of Basilisk Point to further aid the Isles in preparing for attacks and raids bound from Sothoryos and the Basilisk Isles. The settlement is named Bhalar's Town in honour of the fallen Prince. * 374AC - Following Ironborn raids of the Summer Isles brought about from the orders of King Robb Stark after the Little War, the Summer Isles entered a period of transition, and has been different ever since. The birth of Prince Bhalar Dol of Mango Grove marked the first steps towards such change, and the path to a stronger and united isles. While love rules the relationships between Summer Islanders, the raiders that have harried the isles from the north, west and east have taught the Islanders one thing, and one thing only - outsiders are dangerous, and should be treated as such. With such a mindset, the people of the Summer Isles have not only fortified their isles, but have established an number of wider colonies that serve as outposts to watch and observe those that might bring harm to the paradise they call home. No such raider has ever managed to reave the isles since the Battle of the Summer Sea in 364AC, and as the Summer Isles remains as unified as ever, it seems unlikely to change. Category:Summer Isles Category:Essos